Machine for use in the manufacture of leather.



No. 832,786. a I PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

J. FORSTER.

MACHINE FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER.

APPLIUATION PIL'BD NOV.23,1905.

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PATENTED 001*. 9-, 1906.

J. .FORSTER. MACHINE FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.23,190B.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN FORSTER, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FoRsTnR, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at North End Leather Works, Friday street, Leicester, in the county of Leicester, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relatin to Machinery for Use in the Manufacture of Leather, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to machinery employed in the finishing processes of tne manufacture of leather, and relates more particularly, though not exclusively, to what are known as scouring and setting-out machines whereby the leather may be flattened and stretched to any desired degree.

In securing and setting-out machines as constructed at the present time the tools are arranged in groups of two or more and have a simultaneous reciprocating motion toward and away from each other, respectively; but the direction of motion of the two groups is parallel. The leather is therefore only stretched in one direction at a timesuch, for example, as in the direction of its length or its widthand when the tools change their direction of motion the stretch of the leather obtained thereby is partly the result of the contraction of the leather in the direction in which it was previously stretched.

The object of this invention is to increase the efficiency of the above type of scouring and setting-out machines so that the maximum amount of stretch may be obtained in shorter time and with less power than has heretofore been possible. This is effected by causing the tools to operate on the leather in all directions simultaneously, as hereinafter described.

In a machine constructed according to this invention instead of the groups of tools having a parallel motion, as aforesaid, a plurality of tools is arranged around a oint which will correspond with the center 0 the skin or hide and have a radial reciprocating motion to and fro relatively thereto. The machine is preferably arranged so that three or more tools or groups of tools are in action at the same time and all moving in directions which diverge from the center of the hide. Some of the tools or groups of tools are timed and arranged to cross each others path at or about the center, so that there is no part of the leather which does not come under the influence of one or more of the tools or groups of tools.

The table which carries the hide or skin center of the machine, so that when one half of the leather is set out or scoured the table may be turned round and moved under the tools again to finish the other half. The tools are so arranged in the tool-holders that they will yield automatically to any inequalities in'the surface of the leather and readjust themselves.

The invention will be clearly understood by the following detail description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a machine constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan showing the arrangement of the operating-tools. Figs. 3 and 4 are side and front elevations of a tool and tool-holder. Fig. 5 is an under side view of the grooved guide-plate. Figs. 3 and 4 are drawn to a larger scale than the remaining figures, and the same reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the tools 1 are arranged about the center of the machine and are reciprocated radially to and fro relatively thereto by the following mechanism: Each tool 1 is carried in a toolholder 2, which (for a purpose hereinafter described) is pivotally attached to the end of a connecting-rod 3. The said connecting-rods are connected to and operated by crankdisks 4, arranged on the ends of horizontal shafts 6, Fig. 2, the said shafts being driven from a main driving-shaft 5 by means of bevel gear-wheels 7. As will be clearly seen in Fig. 2, the horizontal shafts 6, which are carried in bearings 8, are so arranged and driven as to reciprocate the tools radially with the center of the machine, and, further, the said crank-disks 4 are preferably timed and positioned with relation to each other so that there are always at least threev tools stretching the leather in outward radial directions. The two central back tools 9 are preferably actuated from a double-throw crank 10 on the main shaft 5, the other tools being driven at a higher speed. The tools 1 and tool-holders 2 may be guided in their radial movements toward and from the center of'the machine by means .of a grooved plate 11, (hereinafter termed the guide-plate,) carried horizontally above the center of the machine by the framing 12. The grooves 13 of the guide-plate 11 are adapted to receive therein the slides 14 on the upper parts 15 of the tool-holders 2, and, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, the said grooves are cut or formed in the plate 11 radially from a point which corresponds with the center of the hide or skin when the latter is placed in position for the scouring or setting-out operations. It will be seen that some of the grooves 13 cross or intersect each other at or about the center to allow for the tool to cross each others path, as previously mentioned, so as to leave no portion of the leather untouched by the tools 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the tools are arranged in the well-known manner in such machin es- '6. 6., they are lowered into action by the crank-disks 4 on their outward motion, but are lifted clear of the work on the return or inward motion.

In .order that the tools may yield automatically to any inequalities in the surface of the leather, the tool-holder, Figs. 3 and 4, is made in two parts, the part 2, which directly carries the tool 1, being pivoted to the end of the connecting-rod 3, so as to swing or yield in a lateral direction, and suitable springs or equivalent means (not shown) may be arranged at each side of the holder 2 to control its lateral movements. The part 15 of the tool-holder is rigidly attached to the end of the connecting-rod 3 and is pivoted at its upper end to the slide 14-. The pressure of the tool 1 upon the work is imparted by means of side springs 16, adjustable on studs 17, which pass through lugs 18 on the part 2, and it will be seen in Fig. 3 that while the lower end 19 of the rigid part 15 fits the boss of the tool 1 to impart a firm movement when scouring the leather provision is made sidewise, Fig. 4, for the tool to swing laterally, as described. The table 20, which carries the hide or skin during the scouring or setting-out operation, may be of any ordinary and well-known con struction, such table being mounted upon a carriage 21, adapted to be reciprocated toward and away from the center of the may chine, the table 20 being turned round when one-half of the leather is set-out or scoured and moved under the tools again to complete the whole skin. The said carriage 21 is movable along rails 22, Fig. 1, and the move? ments of the table 20 and carriage 21 may be carried out automatically from the drivingshafts 5 in any welleknown manner.

It is obvious that a series of tools mayv be arranged so as to operate in all directions radially from the center of the skin, such tools reciprocating in contact with the skin simultaneously or in groups of three or more at a time, as desirable.

What I claim then is- 1. A machine for the purpose described comprising a table for supporting the skins and a multiplicity of tools reciprocating in at least two diiferent angles or in alternate groups of three directions radially from the center of the skin and in contact with the latter.

2. A machine for the purpose described having a multiplicity of tools moving in alternate groups in radial lines from the center of the machine and in at least two directions simultaneously at an angle to each other and a table for supporting the skin in contact with said tools.

3. A machine for the purpose described comprising tools reciprocating in alternate groups, and a table for supporting the skins operated to move a skin into contact with said tools to stretch the material simultanee ously in three or more directions radial from the center of the skin.

4. A machine for the purpose described comprising tools reciprocating in radial directions and operating simultaneously in alternate groups of three or more in an out ward direction only from the center of the skin and a table for supporting the skins operated to alternately move the halves of a skin under and into contact with said tools to stretch the skin in all directions.

5. A machine for the purpose described comprising a plurality of tools operating simultaneously in alternate groups of three or more to stretch each half of a skin in a corresponding number of directions radial from the center and a rotatable table operable to alternately bring the two halves of the skin into contact with the said tools substantially as described.

6. A machine for the purpose described comprising a plurality of tools having a reciprocating motion and operating in alternate groups of three simultaneously in radial directions toward and from the center of the skin, a guide-plate for guiding said tools over, and to and from the center, crank-disks and connecting-rods to cause said tools to make contact with the material during their outward movements and lift clear of same during their inward movement and a table reciprocated toward and away from the center of the machine and rotated to alternately carry the halves of a skin under the said tools substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. In a machine for the purpose described the combination with a plurality of tools reciprocating in alternate groups of three simultaneously in radial directions from the center, a guide-plate and means for actuat-, ing said tools, and a table reciprocating toward and away from the center and rotatable on a carriage, of yielding means whereby the tools may swing laterally and rise in the tool-holders, substantially as and for the purpose described.

ICC

IIS

8. In a machine for the purpose described In testimony whereof I have signed my the combination of a plurality of tools rename to this specification in the presence of IO ciprl'ocated in alterniate 1groups loif three sitwo subscribing witnesses. mu taneous a ui e-p ate, e in means in the tool-hbldei s, means for ilctuat ing said JOHN FORSTER' tools, and a table constructed, arranged and Witnesses: operating substantially in the manner as and E. N. LEWIS, for the purposes described. GEORGE LESTER. 

